Jo-Anne makes the point that helping moms as a volunteer is her way of
helping support bfg both locally and globally.  I affirm the contribution
she makes, but want to point out that most of us who get paid as LCs also
work many hours as volunteers.  I work about 10 hrs every week as a
volunteer for projects that include our local milk bank, ILCA and LLL, and
support my local ILCA affiliate.  Even the people who don't feel that they
can afford to write a check (and that includes me), are finding some way to
write a small one.  And if the financial situation is such that there is no
way to write a check, anyone can write a letter.  If your congressman or
woman never has heard from you on the issue of supporting workplace
protection legislation for working moms, or on the issue of more family
leave and better insurance coverage for lactation services, or for WIC
funding for donor milk, then there is never going to be any forward movement
of the policy issues that keep breastfeeding from being supported in the US
the way it is in most other countries.  Interest in and support for these
policy issues doesn't negate the individual work we do, it just amplifies
the power of that work, and insures that more women and children will be
helped by you than you will ever touch in person.

Barbara Wilson-Clay BSEd, IBCLC
Austin Lactation Associates
http://www.lactnews.com

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